


Stray Kitten Appreciation

by lilsamarooo



Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Animal Transformation, Cats, Crack Treated Seriously, Cuddling & Snuggling, Cursed Jaskier | Dandelion, Curses, Emotionally Constipated Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Fluff and Crack, Forehead Kisses, Gen, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Apologizes, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Has Feelings, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Loves Jaskier | Dandelion, Hurt Jaskier | Dandelion, I can't help myself, Insecure Jaskier | Dandelion, Light Angst, M/M, Protective Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Rated T for swearing, Sad Jaskier | Dandelion, Slow Burn, Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg is So Done, come to the soft side we have cookies and forehead kisses, just a little, no beta we die like my sleep schedule
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-03
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:34:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 17,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27375031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilsamarooo/pseuds/lilsamarooo
Summary: Cats have always sensed that Geralt is... different. He can't get within five feet without them hissing and scrambling to get away, which is why- promise you won't laugh- Geralt of Rivia, the great White Wolf, has never pet a cat before. And neither have his fellow Witchers for that matter. What happens when Geralt finds a stray kitten in some backwater town in the middle of Velen, ribs showing and half frozen to death? And what happens when he decides to take the poor thing back to Kaer Morhen with him?orJaskier is cursed to be a cat. The Wolf Witchers find him and instantly fall in love, giving him cuddles and kisses. Things sure get awkward when they find out that the kitten they've adopted is actually the bard who's been singing about them for more than twenty years.
Relationships: Aiden/Lambert (The Witcher), Eskel & Jaskier | Dandelion, Eskel/Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion, Eskel/Jaskier | Dandelion, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia & Jaskier | Dandelion, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion, Jaskier | Dandelion & Lambert, Jaskier | Dandelion & Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg
Comments: 732
Kudos: 1353





	1. So, I might have gone and turned myself into a kitten. No biggie.

**Author's Note:**

> Enjoy my crack idea!

❧

“-and then he blamed me for all his f-fucking- *hic* -problems in life!” Jaskier slurred, cradling his tankard of ale to his chest like a wooden child. The blonde woman practically sitting in his lap frowned and placed a sympathetic hand on his free arm. Around them, patrons sitting at sticky tables paid no mind to the drunken bard spewing tales of heartache and sorrow that no one wanted to hear so early into the afternoon. No one except for a local hedge witch with icy blue eyes and a curious face.

“He doesn’t deserve you,” the woman said firmly. Jaskier could barely remember her name. H… Hattie? Hilde? No, that wasn’t right. Oh, what did it matter? She’d be gone by nightfall anyway. They always leave eventually.  _ Even Geralt, _ Jaskier thought miserably, and to his horror, he felt tears welling in his eyes, blurring the woman’s face until it was nothing but a blob. A hiccupping sob built up in his throat and the bard let out a small whine before he could clamp his mouth shut.

Plastered to her side, it was easy for the woman to cup Jaskier’s face in both her hands. “Oh, you poor thing!” she cooed, squishing his cheeks and brushing away stray tears with her thumbs. “Don’t worry, I know exactly the thing to cheer you up, darling.”

Perhaps it was the affection the woman showed, or maybe the way she gazed at him, eyes full of pity, but Jaskier felt a fresh wave of tears drip down his cheeks, and he struggled to hold in quiet whimpers as his too-skinny frame trembled. Turns out money is harder to come by when the muse you so often sing about is absent from your performances, and it had been almost three months since Jaskier had been left to trek his way down that godsforsaken mountain. Jaskier made a questioning noise, wondering what the woman was going to offer. Food, or money?

“I can make it so that you’ll forget the whole horrid incident entirely! How would you like that, if I made it so that you’ll never have to worry about that cruel man ever again? Give you a second chance at life?”

Well that was a bit dramatic. It wasn’t like his life was ending just because Geralt had cast him aside like a used rag, he was just a little upset, was all. Though… a way to escape from the pain didn’t sound too bad either. Jaskier’s drunken mind contemplated these two options and his cracked heart won out.

“I’ll do it,” the bard said, his foot tapping a nervous beat underneath the table. “Will it hurt?”

The woman shook her head, placing a few coins on their table and guiding Jaskier to stand with her. “Not at all, but it’s best we do this alone,” she said, eyeing the other patrons in the tavern. Still, not one person gave them a second glance as they (mostly Jaskier) stumbled out of the tavern and into the cold winter air. In the stables, safely hidden from the chill and the eyes of the townspeople, the woman guided Jaskier to sit on a bale of hay. “You shouldn’t feel a thing, sweetness. Maybe now you can live your life without worrying about anything more complex than hunting for food. No more of those nasty and unnecessary feelings you have.”

And wasn’t  _ that _ concerning, but before Jaskier could even open his mouth to ask what the hell this woman was planning on doing with him, a loud  _ pop _ filled his ears and his vision blurred until the world tipped sideways. Jaskier was unconscious before he hit the ground.

❧

A man with white hair and two swords strapped to his back, one steel and one silver, walked into the stable of a run down town in the middle of Velen. Steam rose from his mare’s nostrils as she snorted and he began to brush her down. The man’s unnatural amber eyes widened at the sound of a quiet meow, and he looked over to see a small cat trying to worm its way into his pack.

It was midnight when Geralt of Rivia found a stray kitten with cornflower blue eyes, looking vaguely familiar in the moonlight.

❧


	2. Give me food!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took so long aaah! I just wasn’t happy with how the chapter was turning out. I’m still not quite happy with it, but it’s something and that’s better than nothing :)

❧

Jaskier opened his eyes to see the giant nose of a horse centimeters from his face. Startling, he tried to stand up only to fall flat on his face. Trying a second time only garnered the same result. A feeling of panic rose in his chest and the bard tried to call for help, but the only noise that came out of his mouth was a pitiful mewl.

_Wait… what?_

Looking down at himself, Jaskier almost jumped out of his- well, not really _his_ \- skin when he saw the small paws attached to his equally small and fragile body. _Okay, okay. This is fine! I just need to get some help. I’ll find… I’ll find Yennefer!_ The bard felt his tiny nose wrinkle in distaste. _Maybe not her… Geralt would help me, wouldn’t he?_ Another mew, sad-sounding and sombre.

Loud footsteps sounded at the entrance of the stables and Jaskier flinched, hearing the heavy thud of hooves hitting the ground. He couldn’t stand, still unused to his feline anatomy. Images of his small body, crushed underfoot made him tremble, his fur fluffing up with fright. The horse and its owner walked into one of the stalls, away from Jaskier, and he let himself relax.

Concentrating, the bard-turned-kitten carefully stretched out his legs and slowly put one paw under his body, pushing up off the ground. The muscle movements were slightly similar to when he was human, but his coordination was severely off. When Jaskier was standing more or less steadily on all four paws, he stumbled towards the stranger's stall, cursing that damned hedge witch with every step. Maybe if he begged, the stranger would take pity and give him some food?

Suddenly Jaskier paused in his tracks. His nose twitched as an achingly familiar scent reached him. _Onion, destiny, and heartbreak,_ Jaskier recalled with faint amusement. As he reached the door to the stall and nudged his way in, the bard felt giddy with relief. _What are the chances?_ He thought, staring at Geralt as he brushed down Roach.

The smell of slightly charred rabbit coming from Geralt’s pack made Jaskier turn his head, and before he knew it, he was trying to push his head inside of it. It was like he couldn’t control himself, paws reaching from the piece of meat hidden somewhere in the depths of the bag, probably so that animals like him couldn’t come and snatch it. _That cruel woman! It wasn’t enough to make me a kitten, was it? No, she had to go and give me the mind of one too!_

“Now what do we have here?”

Jaskier startled, jerking his head out of the pack with a meow. Crouching down in front of him, Geralt smiled- _smiled!_ \- and spoke softly. “No need to be afraid, little one. Do you want some food?”

Was that a hopeful look on the Witcher’s face? And a little bit of… sadness? Resignation? Jaskier would have frowned if he could, but the fact that he couldn’t mixed with the offer of food had him stumbling towards the man. A strange feeling built up in his throat as he grew more excited, and Jaskier jumped in surprise at the sound of himself making a chittering noise.

Geralt’s eyes widened and he blinked. Jaskier rubbed himself against his leg as soon as he was close enough, his fur no doubt getting all over the Witcher’s leather pants. He wanted _food,_ but Geralt wasn’t giving it! Headbutting Geralt’s leg brought his attention back to the small kitten in front of him and Geralt brought down a large hand for Jaskier to sniff. His hands smelled of Roach, and of sword oil, and the herbs he collected for his potions. Pushing aside his hunger for a moment, Jaskier pushed his head into Geralt’s hand and watched as the Witcher’s pupils grew round with delight. Geralt brought his other hand up to stroke Jaskier's head so gently that it was like he was handling glass.

“Soft…” the Witcher mumbled to himself as he continued to gently pet Jaskier, an expression of wonder seemingly stuck on his face as Jaskier stepped onto the palm of his hand and curled up. He really _was_ very tiny, wasn’t he? He fit like a puzzle piece in Geralt’s hand, so he must be about the size of a grapefruit. Jaskier remembered noticing how small the fruit looked in Geralt’s hands as they were standing in front of the merchant last summer. That had been a little before the mountain, he recalled sadly.

Geralt seemed to notice him settling down and he carefully stood with Jaskier cupped in his hands. Roach let out a snort from where she was looking at the two with intelligent brown eyes. Setting him next to the mare with a quiet “play nice”, Gerald finished getting Roach settled and gathered his belongings.

A strong blast of air made Jaskier’s fur stick out oddly as Roach sniffed him and snorted. A part of his cat mind was telling him to run and get away from the potential threat, but his human mind resisted. It was just Roach, and she wouldn’t hurt him!

Almost three minutes later, Jaskier was scooped up and placed in Geralt’s pack, the Witcher muttering a quick apology and loosely tying the flap shut. As they made their way inside the inn, the smell of a wet dog had Jaskier’s fur puffing out with fear again. His mind was telling him to get as far away from this animal as he could, but the bard could only watch with horror as the dog sniffed the air and stalked closer to Geralt, teeth bared in a snarl.

Grunting in annoyance, Geralt stepped away from the dog and took the key from the innkeeper, making his way upstairs with a relieved Jaskier settling in his pack. The rocking motion of Geralt walking was soothing, and Jaskier nearly fell asleep until the sound of the door closing behind them made him blink his eyes open.

“Meeew!” Jaskier said loudly, wanting to be let out. Geralt still hadn’t fed him! Where was the food that he’d been promised?

“No need to cry, little one. Here you go,” Geralt said, gently setting Jaskier down on the scratchy blankets the inn had provided. The feel of the fibers scraping his delicate paw pads had Jaskier’s ears flattening in distaste. Another small cry had Geralt frowning, and Jaskier nearly fell off the bed in an effort to get to the Witcher’s pack, leaning against the wall next to the door.

“Careful! What’s wrong?”

“Mew!” Finally relenting, Geralt set the bard down on the ground and watched as he all but scrambled to get to the pack, yet again burying his fluffy body inside in an effort to get to the food. Geralt crouched next to him and took out the leftover rabbit, nudging Jaskier out of the way to reach in and grab it.

“Oh, you were just trying to tell me you were hungry, weren’t you?”

Holding out a piece, Geralt watched as Jaskier took it delicately between his teeth and began to nibble, the bard’s purring practically shaking his small frame as he ate. Smiling, Geralt pet his soft fur one more time before getting up and starting to remove his armor.

“We have an early morning tomorrow, kitten. I want to start making our way to Kaer Morhen so we can get there before the pass is closed. Maybe we can decide on a name for you on the way there,” Geralt said as he got ready for bed, and Jaskier didn’t know whether he should be offended by the knowledge that Geralt was more willing to talk with a kitten than with human-him.

After giving Jaskier some water in a bowl and setting out the chamber pot in the corner of the room for the kitten instead of underneath the bed, Geralt laid down. Jaskier, seeing a much comfier source of heat than scratchy blankets, immediately stumbled across the bed and used his tiny claws to climb on top of Geralt like a tree. Settling down on top of the stunned Witcher, Jaskier curled up into a ball and began to purr.

The last thing the kitten-slash-bard heard before he fell asleep was the rustling of the blanket as Geralt got more comfortable, and a whispered “goodnight, kitten”.

❧

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked this chapter!


	3. I’m so sorry, but I’m not actually a chew toy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaskier is hurt and a certain someone comes to the rescue!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn’t know if this needed a chapter warning, but this does contain some animal injury (kitty Jaskier), so read the end notes for more info if you need it :)  
> Sorry for the late update, I usually try to get them out once a week on Friday but I had three tests on Friday I had to study for haha

❧

Waking was like stepping out of a warm bath and feeling the cold air hitting your skin. Fur. Whatever.

Jaskier blinked his eyes open slowly to find himself surrounded by darkness mixed with Geralt’s scent. It was a little odd to be smelling Geralt but not seeing him, or  _ anything  _ for that matter, so Jaskier began to mewl as loud as he could. Where was Geralt? Did he leave him alone because he was being too loud or too clingy? Did he get tired of Jaskier again?  _ I was bad,  _ Jaskier thought sadly, his continued cries for Geralt to come to him making his throat hurt.  _ I was a bad kitten and now he left me again. _

“Well look at what we have here!” A nasally voice called, and Jaskier instinctively flinched away, his fur fluffing up with fear. That didn’t sound like Geralt  _ at all.  _ Quick as a snake, a hand grabbed him by his scruff and yanked him into the morning sunlight. The brightness made Jaskier’s eyes water and the grip the strange man had on his scruff was tight and painful, his long, ragged nails digging deep into his skin. Jaskier could now see that he’d been inside Geralt’s saddlebag, the thick material blocking out the sunlight. Roach knickered at him from across a grassy clearing and Jaskier felt a cold fear lick at his belly. Where was Geralt?

The other Geralt’s potion bag was carelessly tossed onto the grass, the tinkling sound of glass vials breaking reaching Jaskier’s sensitive ears, and a second man stood from where he was crouched over Geralt’s other saddlebag. His things were strewn all around the weasel-like man, and Jaskier felt anger rise up in his chest. Who did these thieves think they were to come and take what wasn’t theirs?  _ Thieves,  _ his mind supplied helpfully.  _ They probably think they’re thieves. _

Weasel-man stepped towards his friend with a mean glint in his eyes. “Is tha’ a fuckin’ cat?” He slurred, clearly drunk out of his mind. “Wh-wha’ the fuck’s a Witcher doin’ with a kitty cat?”

Weasel-man made to grab at Jaskier, who’s heart was pounding painfully in his chest, but the man holding him jerked his hand back roughly. “Not so fast! I found it, so I get to decide what to do with it,” the man with the nasally voice said. He let out a contemplative “hmm” and then whistled sharply, startling his friend and Jaskier both. Roach snorted angrily and stamped her hoof against the ground. There was silence for a moment, Jaskier trembling as he thought of all the horrible things that could come at the man’s call. Would they kill him? Torture him for fun?

An answering howl echoed through the trees, and a moment later, the bushes across the clearing shook violently as the large dog from the inn last night burst through. As soon as its black eyes caught sight of Jaskier struggling in its master’s grasp, the dog began to bark wildly, spit flying off long, yellowed fangs. Jaskier hissed, pupils so wide with pure terror that his eyes looked more black than blue. “Let’s give the mutt a go at it first, and then we can burn whatever’s left!” The men laughed cruelly and Jaskier felt lightheaded with how fast he was breathing, his body violently trembling. He didn’t want to die like this.

The hand holding his scruff let go and Jaskier found himself being tossed through the air like a doll, flying straight for the eager dog’s open mouth. He only had a moment to brace himself as his body was snatched up by the dog, teeth surrounding him and digging into his skinny frame harshly. The men laughed as the dog snarled around the bundle in its mouth and shook its head violently, sending small drops of scarlet blood into the air as its teeth pierced Jaskier’s skin. The small kitten shut his eyes and waited for the dog to snap his neck. He could hear Roach neighing frantically from across the clearing, straining against the rope tying her to a nearby tree.

“Drop it  _ now! _ ” A third voice shouted unexpectedly, and surprisingly, the dog listened. Letting Jaskier fall to the hard ground in a pile of trembling fur and shaky limbs, the dog growled faintly and backed away, fleeing through the bushes it came from. The two men were out of Jaskier’s field of vision and the poor kitten was too weak to even lift his head and look, but the twin sounds of gurgling and choking made it clear what had happened to them. The bloody sword tip that appeared in front of him only confirmed his suspicions.

A large figure crouched down in front of him, and Jaskier would have thought it was Geralt were it not for the unfamiliar scent coming off of the newcomer. Pine trees and the faintest hint of smoke made their way to his nose. “Hello there,” the man said quietly, his voice deep and smooth. A hand was slowly extended towards him and Jaskier couldn’t help the frightened mew he let out, the ache of the nasal-sounding man’s hand digging deep and painfully into his scruff still hurting. “Shh, it’s alright, little one. I just want to help you.”

Jaskier didn’t flinch away this time as the hand returned, gently supporting him from under his tummy. The man made a sympathetic noise upon inspecting the damage done by both the dog and the man’s nails. “You poor thing, it’ll be okay. None of the wounds are terribly deep, but I’ll have to clean and bandage them after we find my fool brother.” And normally, Jaskier would have melted at the sight of this gentle man comforting an injured kitten in the woods, but the second part of the sentence made him pause. Geralt’s brother? Jaskier didn’t even know Geralt  _ had  _ a brother.

With great effort, Jaskier lifted his head and took in the man who was holding him so carefully. Dark brown hair fell artfully over familiar molten gold eyes, and if Jaskier knew any better, he’d have guessed that this man and Geralt were related by blood. Walking over to Roach, the man worked on calming her too, gently petting her nose until she settled and sniffed at Jaskier’s head. “It’s just me, Eskel. You remember me, don’t you Roach? Your friend’s fine, see?” He said, holding out Jaskier so Roach could get a better look at him. The mare sorted, her breath ruffling Jaskier’s fur, and she nosed behind his ears affectionately.

The bushes shuddered and bent as a figure came crashing into the clearing for a third time and  _ gods,  _ Jaskier couldn’t take any more surprises. The man holding him, Eskel if he’d heard correctly, looked at the newcomer and frowned. “Where the fuck have you been? Two bandits came and stole your horse  _ and  _ your cat out from under your nose!”

Geralt lifted his head and growled. “Ive been fucking busy. They paid a child to come up to me and say that there was a leshen attacking her father in the forest. I went with her and was ambushed by the rest of their group.,” he said, holding up his bloody steel sword. “Left Roach in the stables with the kitten so they wouldn’t get hurt.”

“Well it’s too late for that,” Eskel responded, holding out Jaskier for Geralt to inspect. The bite wounds had mostly stopped bleeding, but Jaskier still felt weak and shivery. The memory of the dogs jaws closing around him made a soft cry leave his throat and he mewled until Geralt set his sword aside and cupped him protectively in his scarred hands. “I’ll kill whoever did this,” the Witcher snarled. “Who the fuck tortured animals for fun?”

“Already took care of it.” Eskel stepped aside and Geralt looked at the two bodies on the ground like he wanted to spit on them. Jaskier’s head was hurting something awful, and his wounds still stung painfully, but he felt safe and protected with Geralt’s familiar scent around him. Drifting off as Geralt and Eskel started to talk about restocking supplies and making their way up the mountain, Jaskier shut his eyes with a big yawn. Maybe when he woke up things wouldn’t be so bad.

❧

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Jaskier is tossed to a dog in cat form and the dog catches him in the air, biting down on him and shaking Jaskier like a toy before Eskel uses Axii and commands it to stop  
> Here’s your daily reminder to drink water and eat a little something if you’re hungry y’all! Keep yourselves healthy and happy!! <3


	4. Please give me a break, oh my gods.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaskier has some fun times and then some not so fun times.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry not sorry >:)

❧

_An echoing snarl, followed by blood-hungry barks and the snapping of sharp teeth. Men cackling with laughter, nails digging painfully into his skin, teeth digging painfully into his skin. Fur stained with blood the color of rubies. It hurt, everything hurt, he just wanted to be safe and held and warm and-_

“Mew!” Jaskier wailed, jolting awake and nearly falling off of Roach. Geralt caught him easily with a frown, petting behind his ears as Jaskier continued to cry softly, his tiny body trembling.

“Eskel, what’s wrong with him?” The Witcher asked, bringing Roach to a halt and turning to his brother. Eskel’s horse huffed as his rider stopped and Jaskier noticed that the horses were loaded with supplies. Had he slept through the trip to the market and Eskel bandaging him? His body still ached from the day’s events even with ointment, no wonder he was so exhausted. Picking up Jaskier and holding the small kitten up to his face, Geralt looked into Jaskier’s eyes as if trying to communicate through his mind.

Eskel got down from his horse and accepted Jaskier from Geralt’s hands. “Maybe he had a nightmare?” He said, unsure and concerned. “You’re okay sweet thing.”

Still frowning, Geralt hummed and looked at the sun, hidden behind dark clouds. “You should let him ride with you for now, see if that helps. We can keep going for another three hours at this pace, and we should be at the keep by tomorrow night.”

Jaskier watched them talk, trying to get a hold of himself as Eskel remounted and they continued on. The strange, instinctual need for warmth and comfort hadn’t left even as Jaskier’s heartbeat returned to its normal pace and his fur lay flat on his back. The bandages around his legs and chest made it hard to move, Eskel having wound them tightly so that they wouldn’t become loose, but that didn’t stop Jaskier. Wiggling his way up Eskel’s armor, Jaskier curled up in the hood of his cloak, inhaling the comforting Geralt-adjacent scent he’d liked so much.

Eskel laughed softly and grinned at his brother. “Geralt, you still need to name him! I think he’s part of the pack now,” the Witcher said. A grumbled “I don’t care what his name is, you do it” had Jaskier sneezing in offense. Would it kill Geralt to be nice to him? Who gets grumpy with a cat for gods’ sakes? Eskel shrugged and began listing off names, and Geralt and Jaskier both looked at him with varying levels of surprise.

“What are you doing,” Geralt growled as the names continued to come. Jaskier wanted to know the same thing.

Eskel paused, reaching up to pet Jaskier’s head with a finger. “If he meows at a name then that’s the one I’ll give him! Now stop interrupting. Lil Bleater Junior… Eskel Junior…-“

“Really?”

“ _Geralt_ Junior… Roach Junior… Scorpion Junior…”

The list went on for five more minutes with Eskel naming every family member, enemy, pet, and colleague he knew and tacking on “junior” until Geralt rubbed his temples before letting out a growl angry enough to make Jaskier jump, his tail whacking Eskel in the nose. “Are you _finished yet?_ I’m not letting you name him something stupid, Eskel.”

Without missing a beat, Eskel started listing the most obnoxious names Jaskier had ever heard.

“Mister Kitty-Pants… Sweetie Pie… Squishy-Wishy Cheeks… Fluffy Shmuffy… Kitty Witty Mitty… Baby Hone-“

“ _Mrr,_ ” Jaskier interjected before Eskel could continue. The names were only going downhill from here and he’d rather be called Baby Honey-something than Mister Kitty-Pants. Both Witchers blinked in surprise before Eskel turned to his brother with a victorious shark-grin and cheered, “Take that! he picked it so you can’t change it, we had _rules._ ”

“Eskel what the fuck was the rest of the na-“

“Don’t swear around him, he’s too young,” the Witcher gasped, jokingly reaching up to cover Jaskier’s ears. “The rest of the pack’s gonna love you, Baby Honeybee, I know it!”

“ _Eskel-_ “

After much heated discussion, Geralt had agreed to settle on Honeybee. Eskel had pouted but was willing to take whatever he could get. Jaskier wasn’t sure how he felt about the whole situation. Mostly tired because of all the fighting. Even Roach and Scorpion looked annoyed. After a tense ~~glaring~~ staring contest, Geralt called for them to halt and begin setting up camp for the night. Clearing an empty cave that the Witcher’s clearly frequently used when coming up the mountain was easy, and getting a fire started was even easier.

After the two Witchers had eaten and gave Jaskier some of the jerky from their packs, Eskel brought out a roll of fresh bandages and a foul smelling ointment. “Come here Honeybee, I need to make sure everything’s healing like it’s supposed to.”

Jaskier wrinkled his nose and sneezed at the smell of the ointment, scooting away until he bumped into Geralt’s leg. The Witcher sighed and scooped up the kitten with one hand, handing the wriggling pile of fur to Eskel and knocking their shoulders together. Eskel smiled and together they started unwrapping Jaskier’s bandages, dabbing the ointment wherever they uncovered a wound. Jaskier’s poor nose was burning by the end of it, and he mewled in displeasure.

“Shh, it’s okay Honey. Eskel’s just trying to help you feel better, see? You’re doing so good kitten,” Geralt whispered, gently petting Jaskier’s back as Eskel finished bandaging the last of the wounds on his legs. The Witcher’s words made Jaskier feel a warm, soft feeling in his chest and he yawned drowsily, nuzzling into the hand as it cupped his face. “Aww, big yawn… you feeling tired little one?”

Jaskier chirped as well as he could while being half-asleep, and Geralt and Eskel looked amused as the small kitten tried to hide in Eskel’s neck. A few minutes later, Jaskier was comfortably bundled up and tucked in between the two Witchers’ bedrolls. The fire was warm, his tummy was full, and Jaskier fell asleep quickly.

It was a little after midnight when Jaskier woke to the sound of a sword being drawn, the quiet rasp of silver against a leather sheath. It was a little after midnight when the unmistakable cry of a kitten sounded throughout the small cave, pained and desperate.

It was a little after midnight when two sets of feline eyes snapped open simultaneously, licks of fire and unbridled rage reflecting in golden irises.

❧

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I regret absolutely nothing I wrote this in a bubble tea fueled haze.


	5. Listen, it’s too early for this.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaskier makes another friend!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to remind everyone, I am making this entire plot up off the top of my head so feel free to point out my inevitable loopholes and mistakes haha :)

❧

Jaskier cried out as a hand roughly grabbed him by the scruff and dropped his body onto the hard, cold floor of the cave. Still half-asleep and terrified, the kitten mewed pitifully when he realized he had a sword at his neck. Looking up, Jaskier met the eyes of a _third_ Witcher with raven-black hair, neatly slicked back. That was the only neat part of him really, Jaskier thought. The rest of the Witcher, armor included, was covered in a mixture of snow and mud.

Jaskier’s wounds hurt all over again, but to be fair the Witcher clearly wasn’t expecting to pull a kitten out from under a blanket either. His golden eyes were comically wide, and he opened and closed his mouth like a fish. He didn’t really have time to get more than a confused _“what?”_ out before he was slammed into the ground by two furious Witchers.

“Wait, wait, _wait!_ ” The stranger yelled, shoving and kicking to get Geralt and Eskel off of him. “It’s me, your dear, beloved _brother_ you assholes!”

Gods, how big was Geralt’s family?

Geralt growled and crouched in front of Jaskier, who mewed softly and gave his best puppy-or would it be kitty? -eyes. He was tired and his wounds were hurting all over again because of Geralt’s brother. Who the hell drops a small, defenseless kitten on the ground of a cave?

“Who the hell drops a small, defenseless kitten on the ground of a cave, Lambert?” Eskel, his savior, demanded. 

“What the hell was a kitten doing in your bedrolls? I heard it’s heartbeat and thought it was a monster or something,” Lambert said, gesturing at Jaskier, now curled up in Geralt’s hands. “Sorry for trying to save you-“

“Save us from what? This?!” Eskel thrust his hand out, almost whacking Geralt in the face as he pointed at Jaskier as well.

All the shouting was making Jaskier’s head hurt something terrible, and that combined with his hurting body made him let out a shrill wail. He needed to be comforted, kittens shouldn’t have to be in pain and having nightmares and scared of big animals coming to snatch him away and eat him!

Immediately everyone, Lambert included, crowded around Geralt’s hands to see what was wrong. Jaskier continued to cry and let out small, warbling mews as everything became too much for him to handle. That witch said his problems would be _gone,_ so why did it seem like they’d just increased tenfold? He just wanted to be human again, but that wasn’t possible at the moment, so he would settle for cuddles. Or maybe some of the blueberries Eskel occasionally treated him with.

Suddenly Jaskier was being petted and cooed at by three pairs of hands as they tried to comfort him, and he was gently passed to Eskel so he could check his bandages. As his wounds were being carefully looked over, Lambert crouched down in front of Jaskier with a glaring Geralt hovering over his shoulder.

“Apologize,” the older Witcher growled, angling his head towards Jaskier. The kitten looked at Lambert and blinked his eyes innocently. He would get this apology even if it killed him.

“It’s an _animal,_ it won’t even understand m-“

“ _He_ got upset because of you, so apologize to him before I _make you_.”

Lambert turned around with a muttered “you _are_ making me”. As he locked eyes with Jaskier, the kitten could see the youngest Witcher’s resolve crumbling. At Eskel’s confirmation that Jaskier was only a little bruised, Lambert gathered the small kitten into his hands and raised him to eye level.

“Okay _fine._ Cat-“

“His name is Honeybee.”

“Geralt, are you fucking k- Okay, okay. Honeybee, I’m very sorry I woke you up and scared you by dropping you on the floor.”

A low growl.

“ _And_ I’m sorry for pointing my frightening silver sword in your face.”

Geralt hmmed, finally happy that his kitten had gotten a proper apology. How ironic, considering his actions towards a certain bard. Turning away to help Eskel put away the bandages, Geralt left Lambert, Jaskier still in his hands, to the other side of the cave. “We might as well pack up camp and start moving again.”

Lambert spluttered. “I just got here! I haven’t even slept yet and you want to leave now?”

“Consider it a punishment.”

“I said sorry-!”

Eskel whipped around, pointing a finger at the both of them. “Both of you shut it! Geralt, we aren’t trekking up the mountain at midnight, what the hell is wrong with you. Lambert apologized and Honey’s fine. Everything’s fine, let’s all go to bed.”

With this, the Witcher flopped onto his bedroll and turned his back to both of them. Geralt followed shortly after, bumping shoulders with his younger brother to show they were alright. Jaskier watched this all happen from Lambert’s palms, still a little upset and very tired. Shivering now that he was out of the warm cocoon of bedrolls and exposed to the winter winds, Jaskier mewed softly, bringing Lambert’s attention back to him.

Looking down at the small, skinny kitten shivering in his hands, Lambert sighed, and Jaskier blinked at him curiously. “I _am_ sorry, Honey. I hope I didn’t hurt you too badly.” The Witcher looked contemplative for a moment and then pulled a small cloth out of his pocket, holding Jaskier with one hand as he unwrapped it. “Here we go, Honey! These are safe for you, I remember a little girl feeding these to her pet cat while I was collecting payment for a contract in Velen.”

Lambert brought the contents of the cloth up to Jaskier’s nose to smell, still telling the kitten about the contract, voice soft so as not to wake his brothers. As Lambert laid down in his own bedroll, Jaskier curled up beside his head, the kitten ate the offered blueberries and cuddled closer. Jaskier began to purr, feeling his eyes fall shut. He might have his fair share of problems, but at least he wasn’t facing them alone.

His three fierce wolves would protect him from anything Destiny tossed his way.

❧

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend! Random question, but to my readers that enjoy fruit pies of any kind: What’s your favorite filling? I recently made my first pie ever with homemade crust (I struggled with that part 😅) and I’m wanting to make more pies with a filling besides apple! I can’t figure out how to add an image of my pie, but it’s on my [Tumblr](https://thefoxssocks.tumblr.com/)!


	6. I’m just feeling a little tired, is all.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaskier’s feeling sick. Geralt’s feeling desperate. Vesemir is tired.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! Here’s the new chapter early! The next one will be posted sometime over the weekend as usual :)

❧

The next day the three Witchers (and one kitten) set off early in the morning to continue their way up the mountain. The sun was hidden behind large, gray clouds that just about covered the entire sky and the air was frigid. Icy wind felt like knives on Jaskier’s skin as his frail body tried valiantly to withstand the subzero temperature.

His wolves seemed to realize how much danger Jaskier was in, being exposed to the harsh wind and snow, and the air surrounding them was serious and tense. Jaskier was bundled up in the hood of Lambert’s cloak, the Witcher having grown protective in the short amount of time he’d known the kitten for. The others didn’t say a word, but Jaskier caught Geralt smirking when he woke the two of them this morning.

Jaskier shivered as another blast of wind made its way inside of the younger Witcher’s hood, mewling quietly. He didn’t know what he was even calling for, but it worried the others and that made him feel bad.

Even if he  _ could  _ talk, there was no way he’d mention the way the cuts on his legs were stinging and hot to the touch, or that his ribs ached with each breath he took, or that his head hadn’t stopped throbbing since they’d first started climbing the mountain. They had enough to worry about, like getting all four of them and two horses laden with supplies up a dangerous mountain pass.

“He won’t stop crying,” Lambert said suddenly, breaking the tense silence that had descended over the group. “I don’t think he’s okay.”

Eskel glanced at the small kitten peeking out of Lambert’s cloak before peering ahead at the snowy path. Jaskier could barely see a thing, he couldn’t imagine it was much better for the Witchers. “Of course he isn’t okay, he’s probably freezing. Looks like we might get caught in a snowstorm before we can make it to the keep.”

Letting out a short growl, Geralt stopped Roach in the middle of the path, making his brothers turn to face him with questioning eyes. “He won’t make it if we don’t reach the keep tonight. Lambert, he’s right next to your nose, can’t you smell it? The wounds are infected. He’s dying.”

Jaskier’s heart would have skipped a beat, but it felt like it was frozen solid in his chest. An icy wave of dread washed over him, not for himself but for the Witchers that had come to care for h- for the kitten they’d adopted. It would hurt them dearly if he died before they reached the keep.

The thought that the Witchers didn’t care for  _ him _ but for his kitten-body hadn’t crossed his mind until now. They didn’t want Jaskier to live, they wanted Honeybee to live. Hell, two of them hadn’t even met Jaskier in human form. How would they react if they knew the kitten they were so enamored with was actually a human bard? Jaskier couldn’t even imagine the look of hate that would show on Geralt’s face, same as the day he was sent away on the mountaintop, when he found out that he’d been traveling with the nuisance of a bard he’d tried so hard to get rid of.

Shaking miserably in the cold, Jaskier let his mind slip away into a quiet place. Maybe he could get some sleep before they reached the keep. If he was even alive by then.

“Honey?”

Someone was shaking him gently. It was annoying.

“Honey, wake up,” the voice said softly, and Jaskier slowly blinked open his eyes to find Geralt looking at him with worry in his eyes. The kitten mewled softly and looked around, realizing he had no idea where he was.

Towering stone walls rose around him and a roaring fireplace blasted heat onto his face. A soft fur had been placed underneath him, and a large table sat in the middle of the room. This must be the keep! They’d made it in time.

Geralt pet his head, calling for someone to bring water. Jaskier was thirsty now that he’d thought about it. When was the last time he’d had the energy to eat or drink? A man with hair and eyes similar to Geralt’s walked into his view, holding water in a wooden bowl and a small portion of freshly cooked fish.

Taking the bowls from the man’s hands with a grateful smile, Geralt crouched in front of Jaskier and held up a bit of the fish. Jaskier’s stomach knotted and rolled at the mere sight of it. Turning away from the food with a sluggish flick of his tail, Jaskier curled up and tried to focus on not hurling up what little contents he had left in his stomach.

“Still no change?” The man asked, coming to stand next to Geralt, placing a hand on the Witcher’s shoulder comfortingly.

Geralt shook his head, looking miserable, and Jaskier felt guilt rising in him. He  _ did  _ want to eat, but the thought made his bile rise in the back of his throat. “I don’t know what to do, Vesemir. He’s clearly dying and I just want to help before I lose him-“ cutting himself off with a growl, Geralt stood and glared at the floor in frustration. Mumbling something about checking on the horses, he left, leaving Jaskier and Vesemir alone.

Sighing tiredly, the Witcher sat down next to Jaskier and brought a hand up to tentatively scratch at the kitten’s head, relaxing once he wasn’t hissed at. “You’ve sure got them wrapped around your paw, little one,” he said quietly, staring at the doorway Geralt had stormed out of. “I hope you try to hold on a little longer, if not for your sake then for theirs. I can’t imagine how much of a mess they’ll make if you go before they’ve even had a chance to get to properly know you.”

A soft laugh, and the hand moved to pet him in warm strokes down his back and to his gently swaying tail. “If I’m being honest, I’d like a chance to get to know you as well, kit. You’ve certainly made the winter much more interesting.”

As Jaskier drifted off to sleep again, Geralt sat in his room. Thoughts about burying his kitten’s small, frail body made his eyes sting and his fists clench. A dusty Xenovox rested in his lap, and Geralt made up his mind.

It was time to call Yennefer.

❧

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you don’t already know, I deleted my Tumblr so I could sign up with another email and make it into a main blog! Same handle ([thefoxssocks](https://thefoxssocks.tumblr.com/)). I have no idea how to use the app, but if you want to message me with suggestions for future works, ask questions about my writing, or just wanna say hi, feel free! Unrelated, but I made chicken noodle soup using my mom’s recipe for the first time and it tasted amazing haha
> 
> Next time: Yennefer smells something fishy as soon as she walks into the keep (and it’s not Vesemir’s famous smoked salmon recipe)


	7. Well this seems familiar, doesn’t it?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A reveal and a reaction, though not the one you’d expect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have fun!

❧

The next time Jaskier opened his eyes, it was to the sound of shouting in the next room. He was on a bed, furs surrounding him a little nest. A small fire was burning in the fireplace, warming him to the point that it was a bit too hot. As the kitten wiggled to try and get out of the bundle of blankets around him, a hand scooped him up and placed him in a lap. Jaskier looked up to see Lambert smiling at him, although it was a little strained.

“Hey Honey. I hope you’re feeling a little better now,” he said, running a hand over Jaskier’s head. A small, fleeting kiss on his head made Jaskier purr questioningly. Another shout made him jump a bit, and he looked curiously towards the door. Eskel walked in a moment later as Lambert tried to calm the startled kitten.

Closing the door quietly, Eskel made his way over to the bed and sat down next to Lambert, offering Jaskier his hand for him to sniff. “They’re still fighting. Geralt wants her to heal Honeybee and Yennefer wants nothing to do with him. Says that he shouldn’t have called her for such _unimportant matters_ ,” the Witcher said, making air quotes and frowning.

Jaskier sat up, alarmed, as the words registered in his mind. Yennefer was here? Geralt had called Yennefer here to heal him? _She’ll know,_ he thought suddenly. _She’ll know as soon as she lays eyes on me that I’m not actually a cat and then she’ll turn me back and everyone will_ hate _me._

As his thoughts crashed against each other in his head, Jaskier mewled shakily at the onslaught of anxiety he’d given himself. Lambert cursed under his breath and quickly passed Jaskier to Eskel.

“What the hell is taking Geralt so long? I’m getting that fucking witch to come in here and fix Honey no matter what she says,” he growled, throwing open the door and slamming it behind him.

A shaky exhale had Jaskier tilting his head up to look at Eskel, mewing quietly when the Witcher raised him to eye level. “I… I don’t want to lose you, Honey. I know you’re sick and not feeling your best but I hope you’ll try to live.” A watery laugh escaped the Witcher as he brought Jaskier closer to press a gentle kiss on the kitten’s head. “I promise I’ll pick all the blueberry bushes on the Continent when you get better, and I’ll make you fish for dinner every night, and-”

“Fine! Fine, where is it?” Yennefer demanded, throwing the door open and storming inside. “Give the cat to me, I’ll heal it.”

Lambert and Geralt slipped in behind her and shut the door, glancing nervously at each other as Eskel handed Jaskier to the sorceress.

Blue eyes met purple as Jaskier ducked his head nervously. This was it, wasn’t it? Yennefer would turn him back and the Witchers would probably make him walk back in the snow for traveling with them. Yennefer touched his head lightly with her fingertips and Jaskier wriggled uncomfortably as his skull began to tickle with the thrum of the Chaos being used to peek into his head. Eyes widening, Yennefer stared at the kitten in her hand with shock written all over her face.

“What…?” She mumbled, bringing Jaskier closer to her face and squinting as if trying to see into his soul. For all he knew, she really was trying to see into his soul. Unfortunately, the three Witchers in the room did not appreciate the confusion.

“What’s wrong? Is he okay?” Lambert asked, posture tense and stiff. His brothers were much the same. Yennefer set Jaskier down on the bed and spoke slowly, her eyes never leaving Jaskier’s.

“This isn’t a cat. This is a human that’s been _cursed_ into a cat.” She stood and turned towards the others in one fluid, graceful motion and Jaskier shut his eyes, unable to look at the Witchers’ faces. “I can reverse it, but I’ll need at least an hour to get the potion ready. I’ve healed him of the infection, at least.”

Hearing the door collide with the wall beside her startled Jaskier into opening his eyes again, and there stood the three Witchers, all looking at him with varying degrees of shock and… anger?

Lambert’s face was stormy, brows drawn together and jaw clenched. Eskel had hidden his reaction, features carefully blank. He breathed slowly and deeply, as if trying to calm himself. Geralt…

Geralt looked furious. A low growl rose from deep in his chest and as he reached out to grab Jaskier from the bed, the bard found himself flinching from his hand, something that had never happened before. At this, Geralt froze, and with a deep sigh that ended as more of a snarl, he stormed through the open door, leaving Jaskier alone with the remaining brothers.

“Get him out of here,” Lambert said quietly, but it echoed in Jaskier’s head, bouncing around inside his skull until he mewled softly, an instinctual cry, but Lambert still glanced at him with a distrustful look in his eyes. “I don’t care where you put him, just get him out.”

If cats could cry, Jaskier would have filled a tankard by now, he was sure. Fine trembles raced across his small frame and Jaskier let out a warbled mew as he was picked up by his scruff, still slightly sore even if it was mostly healed. Eskel was silent as a wolf stalking its prey, not even his footsteps could be heard on the stone floors. As they rounded a corner and entered the Great Hall, Jaskier caught sight of Vesemir sitting at the table, reading from a book.

At the sight of Eskel’s face, the book was closed rather quickly.

“What’s happened?” The Witcher asked as Eskel set Jaskier on the floor with little grace.

“He’s human. Cursed,” the wolf said tersely, already beginning to turn and head back to his room. “The sorceress says she’ll have a potion ready within the next hour.”

Now it was just the two of them. Vesemir turned his gaze on Jaskier’s pitifully shaking body as Jaskier stared back fearfully. Gods, they were so angry with him and they didn’t even know who he was yet!

Vesemir stood with a sigh and picked up his book. “I’m just putting this back in the library, and then I’ll come for you. Don’t wander,” he said sternly, back at Jaskier over his shoulder. At least he didn’t seem too angry.

Jaskier wandered.

Well, it wasn’t exactly wandering if there was a purpose, was it? Jaskier’s purpose was to find an exit, any exit to the courtyard. A door left ajar, a cracked window, or a small hole in the wall would do. After that, he’d leave. Anything would be better than staying here, cast aside by the Witchers who were castaways themselves. At last, Jaskier came across an unrepaired section of wall. Squirming through to the other side easily, Jaskier gazed upon the slowly landscape and prepared himself for the trek down the mountain. It shouldn’t be too bad. 

After all, this wasn’t the first time he’d hiked up a mountain with companions and walked back down alone.

❧

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would say I’m sorry but I’m not >:) I have no idea what happened because this whole plot is off the top of my head so these chapters are mostly from my daydreaming during online classes. I think my logic was that the Witchers would feel... betrayed in a sense? They exposed sensitive parts of themselves to this small kitten, even letting him sleep in the same bedroll as them and cuddle up in their cloaks, only to find out that they’d been letting their guard down around some random dude they don’t even know. Don’t worry, things will start to pick up now (I think)
> 
> If you want to scream at me, feel free to use the comments or my Tumblr (thefoxssocks) :o


	8. Will you protect me? I’m still weak...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bonding time with our favorite chaos-causing duo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This got away from me a bit. Sorry in advance for the tears :)

❧

Cold. Jaskier was so, so  _ cold.  _ He didn’t know how long he’d been walking for, lifting one paw after the other and making his way through the seemingly endless snow, but the sun had long since set. The only reason he was still going was the fact that his cat eyes dilated in the low-light. That, and he was terrified of what the Witchers would do if they caught up to him.

Jaskier knew they would never  _ hurt _ him, but the identical looks of anger on their faces… the bard just couldn’t take it. Not for a second time.

Another gust of wind nearly swept him off his paws, and Jaskier mewled softly, just to hear something other than the raging storm battering the forest around him. Snow fell heavily, coating every surface with a fresh layer of fluffy white. Fluffy, icy, frostbite-inducing white.

He could barely feel his tail anymore.

With his body being as frail and small as it was, it was only a matter of time before he collapsed. The bard’s paws gave out from under him and he fell forward with a choked off cry. It wouldn’t do to attract predators to him. His eyes landed on the foot of a tree and Jaskier let out another warbling mew, standing on shaking limbs to drag himself over to it.

As he curled up into a tight, trembling ball, back pressed against the tree’s icy trunk, Jaskier closed his eyes, accepting the harsh realization that he would probably never open them again.

_ He was back. Back in that small cave he and the other Witchers had reached on their way up the mountain. A warmth beneath him, making him rise and fall in time with their breathing. Jaskier relaxed, letting his body go loose and limp, until the stench hit his nose. _

_ The smell of blood filled his nostrils, and Jaskier jerked back up. His body felt like it was burning and the smell of iron grew and grew and grew. The thing beneath him breathed again, one, two, three more times before standing and throwing Jaskier off. _

_ The kitten hit the ground with a small thud, and opened his eyes to see the figure of a dog looming above him. The same dog that had tried to kill him all those days ago. The same dog that had wounded him, infected him. The same dog that was inadvertently killing him. _

_ The beast opened its jaws, blood-stained drool coating yellowed teeth in a gruesome sheen. It spoke. _

_ “Wake up, Jaskier.” _

What?

_ “Wake up, damn you! It’s not your time!” The mutt snarled, tilting its head back and howling a haunting note that pierced Jaskier’s skull. _

_ “Wake  _ UP!”

Jaskier woke with a pained gasp, fisting the furs around him in his weak hands. His heartbeat was rabbit-quick in his chest and his eyes darted around, seeing but taking in nothing. As he struggled to regain his breathing, the bard could hear a voice next to him, slowly starting to register in his fear-addled mind.

He tried to sit up, but a hand pressed him firmly to the bed. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” a familiar voice drawled, and Jaskier turned his head to the side.

“Yennefer?” His voice was rough, nothing more than a whisper.

“The one and only.” The sorceress stood and moved around the room Jaskier currently occupied. A desk laden with papers and vials filled with all sorts of dangerous and unsavory-looking things. Picking up one of those unsavory-looking things, Yennefer turned back to Jaskier.

“What you did was stupid,” she said, her eyes hardening for a moment before the fight seemed to drain out of her. “But I understand why you felt the need to do it. Geralt and his brothers went looking for you as soon as Vesemir told them you’d disappeared. Found you half-buried in the snow, feverish and mere hours away from losing your life to the cold. I had the potion ready by then, so I told them to put you in here and kicked them all out.”

Jaskier said nothing, accepting the offered vial silently. He downed it in two quick gulps, gagging at the repulsive taste.

“I should tell Geralt and the others that you’re awake. And that you’re…  _ you, _ ” she said after a moment, staring at him with something unreadable in her gaze. “I can get them now-“

“No!” Jaskier interrupted, quickly falling into a coughing fit. A cup of water was pressed into his hands and he drank eagerly.

The sorceress tsked, moving the cup out of his reach after a bit. “Stop drinking it so fast, you’ll make yourself sick.” She paused then, sitting at the edge of the bed. “Why the no? Don’t you want them to know it was you the whole time?”

Shaking his head, Jaskier felt himself begin to tremble again at the thought of facing the Witchers again. “They hate me…” he whispered, and he would’ve curled into a ball were it not for the wounds of the dog on his chest and sides. “I w-was just a burden to them, Yennefer, they probably won’t even l-look at me after this. I went back down the m-mountain so I could take myself off their h-hands, like they wanted. Like  _ he  _ w-wanted,” he warbled out in his soft, scratchy voice, and tears welled in his eyes.

Frowning, Yennefer took out a handkerchief and dabbed at his wet face. “What do you mean, ‘he’, Jaskier? You and Geralt are friends.” She pressed her palm to his forehead, and Jaskier felt the cool rush of Chaos that moved through him. “Maybe your fever’s worse than I thought…”

“No, he said it!” He had to make her believe, he wasn’t hallucinating! “After the m-mountain, he said it, he did! He said if he could h-have one wish, it would be to take me off his h-hands!” Jaskier turned his head to the side, staring at the wall next to his bed as he laid there. “A-and I  _ tried,  _ I r-really did, but the w-witch, she cursed me and he found me again. Don’t you see? He’ll b-be  _ angry, _ ” the bard said, sobbing quietly by the end of his stuttered defense.

Opening his eyes at the touch of a hand running through his hair, the bard turned to find Yennefer looking at him with a sad gaze, and suddenly the handkerchief was back, wiping at his cheeks. “Jaskier… he-“ she paused, looking unsure of her words. “Whatever he said, I’m sure…” A sigh left her and she glared in the general direction of the door. “What I mean to say is, if anyone in this ruinous old keep so much as looks at you the wrong way, I’ll teleport us both back down the mountain myself and summon four wyverns to attack them all.”

Jaskier laughed softly at the determined expression on her face. “Four?” He asked, raising his head off the pillow a bit.

“One for each of them. Any less and it would be too easy,” she replied, turning her nose up and not quite concealing the smile on her face. The sorceress helped him sit up with a pillow behind his back and winced at the feverish heat coming off the bard. A gentle touch on his shoulder made him turn away from observing the flickering flames of the fireplace. “Would you like me to call them up now?” She asked, searching his gaze for any sort of fear. “If you really want, we  _ could _ leave without telling them at all-“

“No, they deserve some sort of explanation, at least, before they send me off,” Jaskier sighed, missing the worried look Yennefer sent him. “Just… make sure they don’t scream at me or anything like that?” He requested, mind going back to a certain mountaintop. “I don’t think I could take that again…”

“I won’t give them a chance,” Yennefer said firmly, eyes a fierce imitation of the fire illuminating the room, and Jaskier believed her. As she left with a promise to be back soon, and with the other Witchers, Jaskier took a deep breath to prepare for the inevitable rage he was sure to see on their faces. He knew it was a coward’s move, but he shut his eyes tight, not wanting to look at the Witchers. At the anger. The rejection.

The door opened with a bang as it hit the opposite wall. A sharp inhale and a single footstep forward. The bard didn’t dare look.

A gravelly voice spoke suddenly, sounding shocked and horrified all at once. “…Jaskier?”

❧

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this happened because I spent like an hour this morning reading angst fics. Either way, I’ll fix it next chapter (probably). I should be banned from the “light angst” tag because clearly I am a horrible liar! :D


	9. So... you’re not mad at me?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaskier and the others talk it out (a little), and new discoveries are made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good news, I should be able to update a little faster while I’m on Christmas break! Maybe an extra chapter every week? Who knows lol

❧

There was a shuffle of feet as the four Witchers entered the room, followed closely by Yennefer. Feeling uncomfortable with the amount of eyes on him, Jaskier opened his own. He was met with the sight of Yennefer standing beside his bed protectively, with Lambert and Eskel in front of her. Geralt was slightly behind the two, and if Jaskier didn’t know any better, he’d say the Witcher was hiding behind his brothers. Vesemir stood by the door, possibly to make sure nobody- especially Jaskier- ran out of the room.

Keeping his gaze firmly on the floor, the bard absently rubbed at his arms, blushing when he noticed that he was wearing nothing but the bandages and his smalls under the furs pooled around his waist. Suddenly Geralt reached forward, probably just to bring the blanket around his shoulders, but Jaskier flinched back with a tiny gasp as fear got the better of him. It was a barely audible thing, but Geralt still snatched back his hand as if it’d been burned, and the other Witchers in the room looked on with varying levels of guilt.

Yennefer seemed to be very close to summoning those four wyverns she’d mentioned earlier.

Lambert was the first to speak, shifting his weight from foot to foot as he stared calculatingly at the former kitten. “So you’re the bard? The one that sings songs about Geralt.”

Jaskier nodded hesitantly, not sure where the conversation was going.

“And that cat was you?”

Another nod.

Clearing his throat, Eskel picked up on the apparent pseudo-interrogation they were conducting. “Do you remember everything that happened while you were cursed? Were you… you?”

Opening his mouth to reply, Jaskier was cut off by the sorceress standing by his side. “Last I checked, you were to apologize, not bombard him with questions.”

“It’s fine,” Jaskier said in his scratchy whisper of a voice. A small part of him hated the feeling of not being able to speak fully, it reminded him of the whole djinn debacle so long ago. “I do remember everything, but I wasn’t… fully me. I- I guess the cat part of my brain was bigger than the human part while I was cursed.”

A few nods around the room, and then back to that uncomfortable silence again. Jaskier looked over to where Geralt stood as he moved forward again, arms held firmly at his sides this time. “How… how did you end up like that?” The Witcher asked quietly. “Last I heard you were teaching at Oxenfurt.”

Jaskier frowned. “I never got to Oxenfurt. Barely made it halfway there from the mountain, before the witch cursed me.”

“And you just happened to be at the same inn I was at?”

Shutting his eyes tightly for a moment before opening them again with a shaky sigh, Jaskier picked at a tangle in the furs as he spoke. “I-I’m sorry about that,” he croaked, not meeting anyone’s eyes. ”I really did try t-to stay out of your way like you w-wanted, but she…”

Trailing off with a sniff, Jaskier missed the confused glances Lambert and Eskel exchanged with each other as tears welled up in his eyes. A hand on his shoulder startled him, and a sob slipped out before he could contain it. Meeting Geralt’s eyes as the Witcher jerked his hand away for the second time that day, the bard couldn’t hold back the flood of tears behind his eyes. “I  _ am _ very s-sorry, I know you’re angry w-with me and you told me to l-leave and I  _ tried- _ “

“Jaskier, I’m not mad! I’m not, I promise,” Geralt interrupted, crouching slightly so they were eye to eye.

“But… but y-you said-“

“I shouldn’t have. I was wrong, I was so, so wrong. I’d been looking for you, Jask, that was the whole reason I was heading in that direction. When I heard you were at Oxenfurt I wanted to find you so I could apologize.”

Slowly, Geralt reached out his hand, an invitation. Jaskier glanced at the others in the room. Vesemir was still standing by the door, an unreadable mix of complicated emotions on his face. Lambert and Eskel still looked confused and slightly concerned. Yennefer was glaring at Geralt as if silently daring him to mess up.

Just as slow as the Witcher in front of him had done, Jaskier slipped his hand into Geralt’s and then squeaked as he was pulled into a tight hug.

“I am so sorry, Jask. About the mountain and about how I acted today. I will make this up to you,” Geralt said into Jaskier’s hair, and the bard felt some of the tension ease from his body. Geralt wasn’t mad. Geralt didn’t want him to leave, he wanted him to stay!

A hand on his shoulder made the bard turn to see Eskel standing on the other side of the bed with Lambert close behind him. “We’re sorry as well, Jaskier. We didn’t handle finding out you were human nearly as well as we could have. You didn’t deserve any of that anger.”

Jaskier was beginning to feel a little overwhelmed at this point. The Witchers weren’t mad at all! Why had he been so worried? Perhaps it was the fever.

“Alright, no need to get so sappy,” Yennefer said, though there was no real bite to her words. She ushered the Witchers out with an amused smile, saying Jaskier needed his rest after such a long day, before turning to him.

“Well I, for one, think that went stunningly well.”

Jaskier smiled from where he was sitting on the bed, a warm feeling rising in his chest. “I do too,” was all he managed to get out before a rumble from his chest cut him off. Startling, he quickly looked towards where Yennefer had started to lunge for him and stopped halfway.

“Why are you laughing? I could be dying!” He exclaimed, panicked.

“You’re not dying, you’re purring,” she replied, walking the rest of the distance and setting her glowing palm on his forehead. “Looks like that witch fucked up her spell so much that the cat instincts chose to stay.”

“So… what? I’m not a cat, but I still have the mind of one? Will it wear off?”

Sighing and flicking the bard’s forehead, Yennefer stepped back. “I don’t know when it’ll wear off. I can’t remove it myself without your mind potentially being damaged. It seems your lifespan was extended as well.”

“My lifespan?”

“Do you have any elf in your bloodline?”

Jaskier ran a hand through his hair nervously. “Ah… yes, actually. Faithful is definitely not the word to be used when talking about my grandfather.”

Digging through a chest on the other side of the room, Yennefer returned to his side with a too-large chemise and a pair of slightly smaller trousers. Handing them to him, she turned to an open book on the table across the bed and hummed contemplatively. “The elf blood in you must have reacted with the curse somehow, kind of like how some say cats have nine lives. Your life has also been extended by an unseeable amount.”

Blanching, Jaskier slipped on the shirt and pants with some difficulty as he spoke. “This won’t affect me badly, right? I can still be a bard with the instincts of a cat?” He winced as he raised his arms, the stitches in his sides tugging painfully.

“I’m not sure. We need to see the instincts in action, but as long as you learn to control them, you should be able to live life as you were before. We should tell the others, though,” Yennefer added, turning around once Jaskier was done dressing. “Perhaps after dinner?”

Jaskier sighed, rubbing his eyes with his knuckles. This was a lot of information to take in. He was human, but not fully, and apparently now had a much longer lifespan than before. He couldn’t decide whether to find the witch that did this to her and either kill her or thank her. Now he could live as long as Geralt and the others, but at what price? What were these new instincts Yennefer had mentioned? Purring was weird enough, he didn’t need anything more than that!

Realizing the sorceress was still waiting on an answer, Jaskier nodded and stood shakily, accepting Yennefer’s offered arm. “I feel like an invalid,” he grumbled, stumbling and wincing as pain shot up his hip. That damned dog…

Yennefer caught his eye with a smirk, leading him down the unreasonable amount of stairs and into the Great Hall. “That’s because you are an invalid, bard.”

“I’ll take being an invalid over a cat any day.”

❧

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, come scream at me at “thefoxssocks” on Tumblr! Ideas are appreciated lol. I’m not really sure where I want to go from here, so where do you all want to see this go? Talk amongst yourselves in the comments :)


	10. We’re a bit of a mess, but it’s okay. I think.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Feelings? Feelings. Oh gods.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry late Christmas! I tried to get this out yesterday but failed, so have an extra long chapter instead haha :) Tags have been updated because I can’t stick to my preplanned plot!

❧

Dinner started out without any awkward happenings. The five of them had sat down, Jaskier one seat down from the head of the table with Eskel on his left and Yennefer to his right. Geralt was across from Jaskier, Lambert to his right and Vesemir seated beside the youngest Witcher at the head of the table.

The food was simple honey smoked salmon with and sesame seeds sprinkled here and there, some hints of lemon poking through as well. It was Vesemir’s secret recipe that he was very proud of. To the others, it was just fish, but to Jaskier, it was the best meal he’d ever tasted.

The bard couldn’t tell if this was one of his new cat instincts that Yennefer had mentioned earlier. He’d been on high alert since they’d sat at the table, not wanting to make a fool of himself during dinner with his newfound purring tendency. It was a relief to remind himself that they’d talk about it after they were done eating, and then he wouldn’t have to hide anything.

Of course, that would make for a very boring dinner, and the gods had always loved to have a laugh at Jaskier’s expense.

As the others talked quietly between mouthfuls about the various repairs and jobs needed to be done around the keep, Jaskier tried to follow along but found his attention taken by Eskel’s wooden tankard. It sat in front of him, _taunting_ him; the metal trim reflected the light from the oil lamps fixed along the walls of the Great Hall, and in that moment Jaskier found he would like nothing more than to smack it off the table and teach it a lesson.

So occupied with his revenge plot for Eskel’s tankard, Jaskier didn’t notice his hand had begun to creep towards it, reaching slowly along the table. The bard’s pupils dilated to black saucers, only a small ring of blue visible. A barely audible rumble built up in his chest and Jaskier barely resisted the oddest urge to chitter.

From beside him, Yennefer let her conversation with Vesemir about the wards surrounding the keep trail off, and the two were now silently observing Jaskier as he continued on with his mission. The other three Witchers remained oblivious, placing bets on who could finish their tasks for tomorrow the fastest. Eskel and Geralt both agreed that Lambert would finish last and the youngest brother growled in annoyance at his older brothers ganging up on him.

One nudge. The tankard scooted a bit towards Jaskier.

Another two nudges. Eskel’s drink was nearing the gap between him and Jaskier, yet the three younger wolves were still too immersed in their conversation to notice anything amiss.

A fourth nudge. Jaskier was practically vibrating with eager excitement. By now, Geralt had paused halfway through his sentence, taking a breath to ask Jaskier what the hell he was doing. Lambert, curious about the cause for his brother’s pause, had a similarly confused expression on his face once he’d turned towards the bard. Vesemir and Yennefer were holding back laughter.

One last nudge and the tankard hit the ground with a loud clatter that echoed around the hall. It was followed by the sound of Jaskier furiously purring and chirping happily as he grinned widely. The tankard was thankfully empty, but that didn’t stop Eskel from turning without a thought to admonish the young bard.

“Honeybee, we’ve talked about this. Kittens don’t smack things off tab-“ he started, before stopping himself with a bit of an awkward cough. A cough that pulled Jaskier out of whatever maniacal glee he’d been experiencing from making the tankard fall.

A short gasp escaped the bard mid-chirp and his purring abruptly cut off. His face quickly turned as red as the apple that Lambert had jokingly stuffed inside the salmon’s mouth halfway through the meal. “I’m sorry, Eskel! I have no idea what came over me just now, I never would have done such a thing normally,” Jaskier stammered, thoroughly embarrassed by his actions. Yennefer had an amused twinkle in her eyes as she held up a hand to pause Jaskier’s apology.

“That’s actually what we wanted to talk to you all about. It appears that the witch that cursed Jaskier messed up so badly that not only does he still have his feline instincts, he also has a prolonged lifespan. I don’t know how long, so we’re just going to assume he’s now immortal.”

That was apparently a lot for the Witchers to take in. There was silence for a moment before a generally happy cheering started up. Though, there was some worry, particularly from Geralt.

“Could he turn into a cat again? What if your counter to the curse wears off?” He asked, meeting Jaskier’s eyes from across the table. The bard hadn’t thought of that. What would he do if he turned back into a cat suddenly? What if it was for forever this time?

Eskel gently bumped his shoulder from beside him, and Jaskier realized that he and the other Witchers could probably smell the anxiety rolling off him.

Yennefer rolled her eyes. “Do you all have no faith in me? Our bard won’t turn back into a kitten, don’t worry. He’ll just act like one now.”

Fears partially assuaged for now, Jaskier let himself relax against Eskel, not noticing the way Geralt shifted in his seat and looked away from the two of them with discomfort written all over his face. Yennefer raised an eyebrow at the wolf’s display. _Gods, how can someone be so smart yet so stupid at the same time?_ She asked herself with a small huff.

After a little internal debate, the sorceress thought up a plan to get a reaction out of Geralt. Maybe if she could push him into making a move, he would finally confess his decades-long crush for the bard. Clearing her throat, she saw the Witchers along with their bard turn to look at her.

“Jaskier still needs a room to sleep in. The fire’s no doubt gone out in the sickroom upstairs and it’ll be cold as ice. Not good for someone who’s still recovering from an infection and hypothermia.”

“Can’t you just heat the room up with your magic, witch?” Lambert asked with a suspicious glare. Maybe Yennefer underestimated his observation skills a tad.

“In case you didn’t know, reversing a malfunctioned curse happens to take a lot out of you,” she shot back, lying with every word. The spell she used to turn back Jaskier was simple, taught to her in her first year of magic learning. She’d barely been breathing hard by the end of it, but they didn’t need to know that. “Eskel!”

The eldest brother jumped a bit at the sudden call of his name, but nodded in acknowledgement, albeit a bit cautiously.

“You wouldn’t mind sharing your room with Jaskier, would you? It’s better if he sleeps next to someone, sharing body heat and all that,” she said with an innocent smile. Geralt practically had steam coming out his ears with how flushed he was as Jaskier turned his head from where it rested on Eskel’s shoulder to look at him with questioning eyes.

“N-no, I don’t mind at all,” the Witcher stammered, quickly blushing just as much as his brother as he met the bard’s gaze. Oh. Well this certainly made things difficult. How was Yennefer supposed to get Geralt to confess to Jaskier when his brother had as much of a crush as he did?

Eskel and Jaskier said their goodbyes for the night and headed up to their room, Geralt following a moment later to go to his own room. Yennefer and Lambert stayed behind to help Vesemir clear off the table. They were in the kitchen, Vesemir having gone up to his chambers, when Lambert snorted suddenly, glancing at Yennefer with a smirk.

“What’s so funny, pup? Care to share?” She asked, a bit testily. In a flash, Lambert’s smirk had flipped into a scowl.

“Don’t call me pup, sorceress. And I see right through your ‘body heat’ bullshit. Stop trying to pit my brothers against each other,” he growled, glaring at her as he dried the plate in his hands with a rag. “You’re toying with their feelings for Jaskier and it's not going to end well for anyone, so just back off.”

Yennefer finished drying a tankard and placed it on the counter beside her, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow delicately. “So you don’t have a crush on our little cat-turned-bard as well?” She asked, only to grin as the youngest Witcher looked away with an annoyed huff. “Oh, I see. You already have a kitten of your own, don’t you?”

“Fuck off, witch.” Stacking the last of the plates, Lambert shoved past her with a growl, the tips of his ears a flaming red. Huh.

Putting the plates, tankards, and silverware back into their places with a flick of her wrist, Yennefer headed up to her own rooms with a lot on her mind. Perhaps the pup was right. After all, she wouldn’t like it if anyone tried to manipulate her relationship with a crush of hers. But Yennefer didn’t have a crush. Certainly not.

She closed her eyes and rolled over to the other side of her bed, trying and failing to get the image of a kind, redhead sorceress out of her mind. Let the boys figure out their problems for themselves.

Back in Lambert’s room, the youngest Witcher stared up at his ceiling and absentmindedly stroked over the cold metal of the medallion around his neck. With all the commotion this winter, nobody had noticed that the snarling wolf head had been switched out for a hissing cat.

Eh, he’ll just bring Aiden next winter and deal with whatever his family’s reactions will be. Maybe the Cat can teach Jaskier a thing or two about controlling his newfound feline urges. Hopefully the two of them won’t blow up the rest of the keep together.

Geralt frowned as his mind continued to fail to slip into meditation. Had him hugging Jaskier not been an obvious enough confession that he liked him? Apparently not. He would never cause a fight with his brother, though, and the gods know Eskel deserves some happiness in his life.

The two of them will be great together, Geralt reasons as he closes his eyes, trying again to empty his mind and ignore his aching heart. Jaskier would be in better hands with Eskel anyway.

As Jaskier and Eskel curled around each other, the bard’s head tucked comfortably underneath Eskel’s chin, they both silently reevaluated their feelings for one another and wondered if there could be a possibility for something… _more_ than the fast friendship they’d developed.

At least, that’s what Jaskier was thinking.

Eskel couldn’t help but be stunned by the fact that the seemingly tiny bard that had leaned against him during dinner was surprisingly muscular and nearly as tall as him. He supposed that bards needed to seem dainty and small to be seen as harmless, but the Witcher’s face heated at the thought of being pressed into his bed by strong arms as Jaskier loomed above h-

Okay! Time for bed, Eskel thought, subtly shifting his hips away from the bard and frantically thinking about drowner guts and various other disgusting things. Rotfiend heads exploding, arachnomorph eyeballs, rotting water hag carcasses-

Eskel winced. That was maybe a bit too gross.

At the other end of the keep, Vesemir lay in bed, fast asleep. Could you blame him? His sons were idiots. Parenting was draining work, especially when your children were all adults well over eight decades old.

Gods help him, this winter was going to be rough. He could only have nightmares at the thought of next winter when Lambert finally brings that Cat of his that he thinks he’s so secretive about. 

It’s safe to say that Vesemir was the only one that got any sleep in the old keep in the mountains that night.

❧

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eskel is having Hot Thoughts about his surprisingly buff bard. Jaskier is questioning life (and also thinking about chasing a mouse he saw earlier at dinner). Lambert thinks he’s subtle. Yennefer is crushing. Geralt is overthinking. Vesemir is sleeping. Oh no.
> 
> I’m sorry, I couldn’t control myself and now we have an endgame of Geralt/Jaskier/Eskel.
> 
> I also wanted to say: thank you so much for all the support from you fantastic readers!! 1,000 kudos, oh my gosh! And the comments you all leave are the highlight of my day, you guys are awesome (shoutout to you silent readers too, your kudos are greatly appreciated!) and this thank you is long overdue <3
> 
> As always, remember to eat something, drink water, and take your meds if you forgot like I did 😅 Take care of yourselves, I love you all!!


	11. Birds and bards don’t mix.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaskier nearly kills a bird and Eskel has an idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have fun :)

❧

Jaskier blinked his eyes open slowly, enjoying the warmth surrounding him. Sunlight from the window next to the bed cast a heated glow onto the bard’s body and he stretched lazily with a loud purr.

“Morning,” a sleepy voice murmured from behind him, and Jaskier abruptly paused mid-stretch as he remembered exactly whose bed he was in. He ignored how the deep rumble sent pleasant shivers through him.

Twisting around in the Witcher’s arms, Jaskier smiled nervously. “Morning, Eskel.”

As if picking up on his internal conflict, Eskel moved his arms out from around Jaskier, sitting up with a small frown. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable-“

“You didn’t!” Jaskier interrupted quickly. “I was just surprised, is all. You’re a very good cuddler by the way,” he added, and Eskel looked away, the tips of his ears turning red.

“I doubt that.”

“It’s true!”

The two looked at each other and dissolved into laughter, Jaskier nearly flopping on top of the Witcher as he giggled. Catching his breath, the bard grinned up at Eskel, not noticing the fond look the other man gave him.

Eskel helped him sit up, careful to avoid touching the healing wounds on his side. “So how are you doing with the whole ‘being human’ thing? It must have been strange to go from being a human to a cat to a human again, especially while you’re still recovering.”

Wincing as he brought his leg over the edge of the bed, Jaskier brushed the hair out of his eyes and sighed. “It… was a little much at first. It still is, if I’m being honest. My senses are still the same from when I was a cat. Everything is loud and my eyes can still see in the dark. And the whole… knocking stuff off tables. Sorry about that.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Eskel said absently, looking like he was thinking something over. “You still have your heightened senses? We should probably tell the others, maybe we can help you train them.”

Jaskier tried to keep his wince contained as he held onto Eskel’s arm and stood. “Yeah, we can talk to them later today.” His stomach grumbled at that moment, startling both of them. “Maybe after breakfast, though.”

There was no one in the Great Hall when the two got down, a plate of toast and a jar of homemade jam being their only company. Jaskier smiled as Eskel made his plate for him.

“I can get my own food, Eskel!” He said, playfully swatting the Witcher’s arm.

“You’re injured and it’s my duty to provide for you.”

“Says who?”

“Me.” Eskel smirked while placing Jaskier’s plate down in front of him. “Now eat, Honey, you’re not gonna heal any faster if you’re skipping meals.”

Jaskier laughed and then blinked in surprise as he went over Eskel’s words again. “Honey? I thought we left the cat names behind along with my cat body.”

Rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, Eskel sat down beside Jaskier with his own plate. “I guess I just got used to it,” he said with a laugh. “I also think that since Geralt can call you Jask, I should get to have my own special nickname for you. So… Honey. Because you smell sweet like honey. That’s okay, right?” He asked after a pause.

“Yes! I mean, yes, I’m quite alright with that,” Jaskier said, cursing his tendency to blush at even the smallest of compliments as his face quickly took on the likeness of a tomato. “Well now I feel left out! Shall I call you pup?”

At the sight of Eskel choking on his drink after hearing the words, Jaskier quickly backtracked while patting the Witcher’s back. “Or not! Perhaps a more well known endearment, like darling?”

As Eskel caught his breath, he managed to choke out a strained, “Darling works.”

“Great! I’ll be your honey, and you’ll be my darling!” Jaskier grinned. At that moment, Geralt walked inside the hall with Yennefer at his heels.

“Ugh, my eyes. Nobody wants to see the two of you being sappy over breakfast,” the sorceress drawled with a glance at Geralt’s face.

Jaskier rolled his eyes and plastered himself to Eskel’s side. “Deal with it,” he said, turning his nose up at her with a smirk. Eskel just grunted and looked flustered. It was a rather good impression of his brother, who was standing next to Yennefer with a similar expression on his face.

“Have you eaten yet?” Jaskier asked, and frowned when the pair shook their heads. “Come sit! There’s more than enough room,” he said, patting the spaces to his other side.

Jaskier didn’t notice Yennefer subtly shoving Geralt towards him as she sat across from the bard. Nor did he notice Geralt looking back at the sorceress with a glare that could rival Vesemir’s as he moved to sit beside him.

In fact, the only thing Jaskier had eyes for was the bluebird sitting on the windowsill behind Yennefer’s shoulder. It ruffled its feathers with a short tweet and Jaskier shot out of his seat, bracing himself on both hands to lean across the table.

Yennefer jumped in surprise, eyes widening as Jaskier nearly brushed his nose on her shoulder as he stared at the bird. Another tweet from the bluebird sounded and Jaskier began to chitter excitedly, an almost clicking noise coming from his throat.

“Honey?”

Eskel’s voice broke through the haze that’d taken over his mind, and Jaskier inhaled sharply at the realization that he’d been about to jump over the table and lunge at the bird. Sitting back beside Eskel with a huff, the bard was ashamed to find his eyes stinging with tears.

“This is useless!” He cried, hiding his face in his hands as he sniffled. “I can’t even control myself around you all, how am I ever gonna face a tavern full of people? Or hundreds of people at a competition? I didn’t even realize what I was doing,” Jaskier said miserably, roughly wiping the tears that fell from his eyes.

A hand caught his arm as he went to rub at his other eye and Jaskier peeked to see Eskel looking at him with a worried frown. “Honey, it’ll be alright. You’re still figuring this whole thing out, it’s normal to struggle at first. You think I was born with the ability to make Signs or fight with a sword?” The Witcher gently brushed away Jaskier’s tears, bringing him into a tight hug afterwards. “I learned, and you can learn too. You’ll be able to control your instincts by the end of the winter, I’m sure of it. You’ll be playing in front of crowds again in no time, right?”

Jaskier nodded with a sniffle, burying his face into Eskel’s shoulder. “I’m not really that hungry anymore,” he whispered. Nodding, Eskel turned to Yennefer and Geralt with an apologetic smile as the two looked on with concern.

Helping the bard stand with a hand on his back, Eskel led Jaskier towards the library as a sudden idea popped into his head. “Wanna humor a thought I just had?” He asked softly as they reached the foot of the stairs. At Jaskier’s hesitant nod, the two changed directions to the small garden in the courtyard where the Witcher could hear his old mentor moving around.

Eskel had a strong feeling that Vesemir could help with his plan.

❧

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a bit rushed because I had a lot going on this weekend! I didn’t even read it over before I posted it, so sorry if it’s a little boring haha. To the person on Tumblr who I said I would add petals in this chapter for, look out for them in the next chapter because I had a whole idea for them that I couldn’t fit into this chapter lol


	12. I demand cuddles please. Right this moment.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One heart is healed using the broken shards of another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha! I posted this before midnight so technically I still uploaded the chapter by the weekend. Nonetheless, sorry for the late upload haha

❧

Things had been looking up for Jaskier since Eskel had told him and Vesemir about his plan to help control the new feline instincts his bard was exhibiting. They were about a week into this new routine. Every morning Jaskier and Eskel would wake up and start their chores after eating. Eskel would head off to repair some wall or something of the sort and Jaskier would find Vesemir and help him with whatever was needed. Later in the day they all regrouped for sparring in the courtyard.

According to the Witcher, it would be better for Jaskier to actually  _ stop _ trying to control his instincts and instead let them do as they please. After Jaskier was comfortable enough with all of his new abilities, then they would begin to practice with controlling them. This had made for an interesting week.

Today, Jaskier was helping Vesemir lay out various plant parts to dry and be turned into the potions that kept the Witchers alive on the Path. His task was fairly simple. Take the scrambled ingredients the brothers had brought home and sort them into groups based on what they were. The thing was, Jaskier was getting bored, and the Witchers had quickly learned that a bored cat-slash-bard was never a good thing.

Sighing dramatically, Jaskier picked up another handful of ginatia petals and pushed them towards the larger group he’d made next to him on the floor. Vesemir gave him an unimpressed look from where he was sitting at a small table next to one of the many windows in Kaer Morhen’s libraries. A chair had been offered to him, but Jaskier found that sitting on a cushion next to Vesemir’s chair was much more comfortable.

Plus, in this spot he was directly under the warm, cozy patch of sun coming from the window.

Sighing again with a badly concealed glance at Vesemir, Jaskier pouted when he got no reaction. Picking up a sewent mushroom with a disgusted grimace, Jaskier threw it onto the growing pile he’d made next to Vesemir’s foot. He was just about to sigh for a third time when something caught his eye.

When he’d thrown that gross mushroom, the movement had stirred up a few of the wolfsbane petals he’d collected. Jaskier was wearing gloves while handling the plants, something Vesemir had said about toxins seeping in through the skin, so there was no harm done when he leaned forward and slapped it to the ground.

Well that was rather entertaining, wasn't it?

Vesemir silently looked on with amusement, keeping a close eye on the bard as he batted the poisonous plant around in the air. The boy was making a mess of the verbena petals and honeysuckle leaves he’d organized, but so be it.

Small growls and excited  _ mrrow _ ’s escaped the bard every so often and Vesemir was reminded of when his pups used to tousle and play fight with each other when they were young boys. The thought brought a small smile to his face as he gazed fondly at their pack’s newest addition. Everything was going great.

Until Jaskier tried to eat the wolfsbane petals as they floated down to the ground.

“Bard, stop that! You’ll poison yourself,” Vesemir scolded, his smile now replaced with a frown. Jaskier did no such thing, scooping his hoard of wolfsbane towards him when he realized it was in danger of being taken away. Growling, the bard crouched over the petals protectively with his uncovered forearms nearly touching the petals as his sleeves rode up. The bard’s pupils narrowed to slits and his newly acquired fangs glinting as he bared his teeth menacingly at the Witcher.

Vesemir acted on instinct.

Grabbing a cup of water that’d been sitting on the table, Vesemir threw the water into the air and blasted it towards Jaskier with a controlled Aard. The mist that formed as a result hit the bard square in the face.

Reeling back and landing on his backside with a startled yelp, Jaskier sat there for a moment in silence. Eyes wide, he stared at Vesemir with a shocked look on his face mixed with a bit of… betrayal? Vesemir took a step forward to ask if the bard was alright, maybe he’d accidentally hurt him with the Aard? And he was still a bit too close to the pile of wolfsbane for his liking.

“Lad-” Vesemir began, only to cut himself off as he stared in horror at the unshed tears in the bard’s eyes. The rational part of him knew that there was nothing he could have done to hurt the bard enough to warrant tears, but his mind was focused on the fact that he’d made a member of his pack so upset that he was crying.

Jaskier sniffed and wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand- the gloves had been removed at some point, Vesemir noted with relief. “Y-you sprayed water at me!” the bard accused in a trembling voice, his bottom lip quivering with held-back sobs. Vesemir wanted to escape to the depths of the keep and hide from the look of utter sadness and mistrust the bard gave him.

Stepping closer was a mistake, and Vesemir could only look on with a wince as Jaskier got to his feet and all but raced out of the library with the scent of misery trailing after him. The Witcher sat back down with a sigh, resolving to finish up with the ingredients as he gave the boy time to cool down. While he worked, he thought about how he would make it up to their bard.

Jaskier rushed through the halls with no idea where he was headed. Tears dripped from his eyes, blurring his vision, and Jaskier didn’t even see the Witcher right in front of him until they collided with each other. More like Jaskier collided with the Witcher and the other man didn't even stumble.

“Sorry,” he said quickly, mortified when a hiccupping sob escaped him.

“Jaskier?” Of course it was Geralt, who else would Destiny place to witness Jaskier’s embarrassing pity party. “What happened?”

Wiping his eyes roughly, Jaskier sniffled and looked up at Geralt with teary blue eyes. “V-Vesemir sprayed me with water,” he whimpered, not noticing how Geralt’s gaze changed from panicked to amused with a hint of concern.

“Oh poor thing,” Geralt crooned with mock sympathy, gathering Jaskier close and letting the bard cling to him as he cried, face buried in the crook of his neck. “He’s a mean old man, isn’t he?”

Jaskier nodded, his breath hitching as Geralt scooped him up into his arms and carried him back to the Great Hall. Once they were there, Jaskier was gently placed on an armchair as Geralt gathered all of the blankets from Vesemir’s room, saying that stealing his furs would be punishment enough. Jaskier, eyes droopy with exhaustion and the need for a nap, absolutely agreed.

Forming something of a nest on the floor in front of the roaring fireplace, Geralt moved Jaskier into the center and watched with a warmth in his heart as the bard burrowed himself into the furs, making grabby hands at Geralt once he was comfortable.

“Cuddles please,” Jaskier  ~~ demanded ~~ asked politely, and how could Geralt say no to those pleading eyes?

Laying down and letting Jaskier arrange the Witcher’s limbs to his liking, it was only moments before the soothing crackle of flames lulled the two of them to sleep. Geralt snored softly as Jaskier curled into his side, head resting on the Witcher’s chest.

Not an half an hour had passed before Eskel walked in, frantically following the trail of his bard’s sadness that’d been hanging in the halls. At the sight of his two dearest friends dozing in each other’s arms, something ached painfully in Eskel’s chest. Turning around, he walked out of the Great Hall without a word, leaving a fresh trail of sadness as he went.

_ His  _ bard. Who was he kidding?

❧

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't resist the angst aaah! The flowers and petals and stuff are for that one Tumblr user, you know who you are (I hope)! Up next, Vesemir apologizing for the frowned-upon spray bottle tactic so often used on cats, and Eskel hopefully talks his feelings out. Drink some water pls :)


	13. Wait, I have something to tell you!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Confession (pt. 1 of 2).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, first off I wanted to say thank you for all of the well wishes you guys gave me for my exams last weekend! They went really well, and I'm super happy about that :) As a thank you for being so patient for the next chapter, here's a special chapter that's roughly double the length of the others!

❧

Jaskier woke with a yawn, stretching his limbs and accidentally whacking Geralt in the face.

“Have a nice nap?” the bard asked, blinking his eyes innocently in response to Geralt’s disgruntled glare. A sigh later, the glare was replaced with a soft look that made Jaskier’s heart melt.

“Very nice.” Geralt nudged Jaskier until they were both sitting up, practically in each other’s laps. They sat there in a comfortable silence, watching the flames flickering in the roaring fireplace. “Aside from the face slapping,” he said, scowling with no real heat behind it.

“Oh come on, that was the best part!”

Jaskier laughed as Geralt playfully shoved him, letting himself fall back onto the furs. Sunbeams filtered in through the cracks in the ceiling and Jaskier let out the purr that had been building in his chest as he committed this tender moment to his memory. Something to look back on when he was feeling low on The Path, feet hurting from walking and eyes burning from lack of rest. Geralt looked down at him fondly.

Jaskier frowned as the Witcher traced the wolf head on his medallion, something he’d always done when he was nervous. That fond look had turned into something nervous and contemplative, and Jaskier desperately wanted to smooth out the frown on his muse’s face.

“Geralt, what’s wrong?” he asked softly. Was it something he’d said? Or done? 

Bringing his hand up to gently cup his bard’s face, Geralt allowed himself a small smile that was hesitantly returned. “Jask, I have something I’ve been meaning to tell you for a long time now,” the Witcher started, face turning serious. “And I know I haven’t really made it up to you for the whole mountain fight yet, but just hear me out?"

“Geralt?” Jaskier asked again, trying not to lean into the touch as his heart sped up in his chest. Geralt was going to confess, wasn't he? Before the whole cat-mess, Jaskier would have welcomed this moment with open arms. He’d only dreamed of this since he’d lain eyes on the Witcher in Posada. But… things were different now.

He’d turned into a cat for one, obviously. Jaskier was still processing that to be honest, but more importantly, he’d met Eskel. Sweet, caring, selfless Eskel. And so,  _ yes,  _ he did love his muse with all his heart, but Jaskier had fallen hard for his other wolf as well in the short time they’d shared. 

Their moments spent in the library discussing ancient poems and texts in front of the fire, sparring in the courtyard while Eskel stood behind him, gentle hands on his to fix his grip on the practice sword, relaxing in Eskel’s room as Jaskier played simple melodies on his lute while Eskel mended his clothes or tended to his armor and weapons, their shared moments had all left Jaskier wanting  _ more  _ than this fast friendship they’d developed. 

Taking a deep breath, Geralt moved his hand down from Jaskier’s face to his own hands, grasping them gently. Jaskier’s heart pounded with excitement, but also… guilt. He couldn’t lie to his Witcher, not about this. Geralt deserved the truth, and while he  _ did _ love Geralt very much, his wolf wasn’t the only one that shared his heart.

“Jaskier, I love you. I have for a long time now. I didn’t know what I was feeling whenever I looked at you until we were sitting in that field just outside of Velen’s border, remember? And you’d made a flower crown out of dandelions for Roach, but she ended up eating it,” he said with a hesitant smile. Jaskier swore he could feel Geralt’s hands shaking as they held his own. “It was cloudy and wet outside and we were both hungry and tired, but you still had the biggest smile on your face.”

Tears pricked at the corners of Jaskier’s eyes as he grinned because  _ yes _ he did remember that day, years ago. They’d walked on until they’d reached the nearby village, exhausted and aching, and that night Geralt had held him closer than he ever had before as they laid in the inn’s rickety bed.

“That day was when I realized that feeling was love, and that I have so  _ much  _ of it for you, Jask.”

Jaskier barely registered the wetness on his cheeks as his grin slipped off his face. He wanted so badly to just fall into Geralt’s arms, but his guilt was eating at him. He couldn’t keep this from his Witcher. “Geralt, I… I love you too. So, so much, but,” Jaskier paused, heart aching as the hopeful spark in Geralt’s eyes died out, a blank look coming over his face as if someone had pulled the shutters closed. “There’s something you need to know as well. I need to be honest with you because while I love you, I also have feelings for Eskel.”

Seeing the startled look on his Witcher’s face, Jaskier quickly continued. “And I wouldn't have told you if I thought it was just a silly crush that’ll go away, but i-it’s not. I think I love him just as much as I love you, but I don’t want to hurt either of you, and I just-”

“Jask,” Geralt interrupted, smiling with badly concealed amusement and more than a little relief. “ _ Jask,  _ it’s okay. You aren’t the only one.”

Jaskier blinked. He blinked again and then once more before squinting with confusion as Geralt gently wiped away the tear tracks on his face with his thumbs.

“Then why the hell did you just confess to me if you love Eskel too?”

The amused look quickly turned sheepish.

“I… was planning on figuring it out as I went along?”

“Geralt!”

The Witcher opened his mouth to defend himself, but at that moment Yennefer walked in with Lambert by her side, both of them discussing the strength of an experimental bomb the youngest wolf had been working on. At the sight of Jaskier and Geralt in a nest of blankets, they stopped short. Or, Yennefer stopped short. Lambert eyed the pair with a devilish smirk.

Yennefer glared at Geralt as she took in Jaskier’s teary eyes. “What the hell have you done this time? We can’t even leave you alone with our bard for a second before you’re making him cry his eyes out.”

“You two know I could hear what you were saying before I walked in, right? Witcher senses and all that?” Lambert said, raising an eyebrow at his brother and his friend. Both quickly stood and gathered Vesemir’s stolen furs while trying to hide their blushing faces as Yennefer looked on with a suspicious frown.

“Yes, we just remembered we left our… lutes! On the stove. Best be on our way then, wouldn’t want to burn the place down,” Jaskier rambled, making a beeline for the door with Geralt at his heels.

Once they were in the hallway and safely out of hearing distance, the Witcher turned to Jaskier with a smirk. “We left our lutes on the stove?”

“Shut up! I was stressed,” Jaskier replied, smacking Geralt’s shoulder with his free hand. “And besides, we have more pressing matters to discuss. Like what to do about our mutual crush.”

The two walked side by side, shoulders brushing, as they made their way up to Geralt’s room. It was only a little past midday and Jaskier was already exhausted from the morning’s events. Was napping so frequently one of his new cat features? Gods, he hoped not. That would make traveling on The Path hell. How could they possibly hope to make any distance if Jaskier had to stop and nap every few hours?

Geralt opened the door to his room, bringing Jaskier back to the topic at hand. After dumping the furs on the floor with a silent promise to return them to Vesemir later, Jaskier took Geralt’s hand and led him to sit on the edge of the bed beside himself. The open door let in the scent of lunch being made downstairs and Jaskier resisted the urge to lick his lips at the smell of roasting venison floating into the room. There was a short pause where both of them looked into each other’s eyes quietly, each having so much to say but unable to find the right words. Surprisingly, it was Geralt that spoke first, taking Jaskier’s hand and interlacing their fingers.

“So, I love you. And you love me,” he said, and Jaskier nodded, not used to being the one without words for once. “And we both love Eskel?” This was a question. Hesitantly spoken, to the point and short, but carrying the weight of a thousand words.

Jaskier nodded again.

“There was a time,” Geralt started, eyebrows knitting together with… regret? “Before I met you. Eskel and I were together. We were happy, and things were fine. Better than fine. It was hard, not seeing him while I was on The Path, but we would agree to meet. Random inns and towns on the outskirts of the big cities. Just somewhere we could rest and be with each other. But.” His frown deepened, and Jaskier squeezed his hand in silent support, ignoring his surprise for now. “Something changed. After he got his scars. It… was like he just closed himself off. I tried to be there for him, I tried to give him space, I tried to let him know he could talk to me if he wanted, but nothing really worked.”

Geralt sighed deeply, and Jaskier’s heart ached for him. “Eventually he got better. He opened back up and we tease and laugh and argue again, but we’ve never talked about it. Us. We still love each other, but I don’t think he loves me like  _ that.  _ Not anymore.”

Resisting the urge to throw his arms around his wolf, Jaskier tilted his head up and pressed a gentle kiss to Geralt’s cheek. “I’m sorry, love,” he said softly, his thumb rubbing slow circles over the back of his Witcher’s hand.

“‘S alright,” he replied, absently observing the way their hands fit together like puzzle pieces. “I just don’t want to make him uncomfortable, is all. I don’t want to ruin what we have, and I would never forgive myself if he shut us all out again because of me.”

Jaskier was silent for a long moment. It was obvious that, if Eskel was willing, they’d both love to offer him a place in their relationship. If what Geralt was saying turned out to be true, if Eskel really did want nothing to do with his White Wolf after all these years, then so be it, Jaskier thought. It was the not knowing that bothered him. From what it sounded like, Geralt had never gotten an explanation because Eskel had never provided one. That didn’t sound like the wolf he’d come to know at all.

“Geralt,” the bard started, tilting his head so that they locked eyes, molten amber on stormy blue. “I think you should ask Eskel. You don’t have to, of course, but you should at least talk about what happened between you two, and why. I think this isn’t as cut and dried as it seems to be. I don’t know him as well as you do, but that doesn’t sound like him to just leave your relationship with not even an explanation.”

“It wasn’t like him,” Geralt said quietly, clearly trying hard not to look away from his bard’s eyes. “But Jask, what if he says that he did want it to be over? That he doesn’t want to be with me? Us?”

“Then we leave it at that and we all go about our lives, him on one path and us the other. It’s the not knowing, Geralt. You’ll make your head spin with all these what-ifs, but you’ll never know how he really feels if you never say something.”

Geralt bit his lip for a moment before responding, fingers back to fiddling with his medallion. “And if he says yes? To being with us?”

Jaskier cupped the side of his wolf’s face tenderly, a tiny smile slipping onto his face as Geralt leaned into the touch. “Then we have a place beside us waiting for him. And I will show him a love just as fierce as the love I have for you.”

The sudden press of lips on his own made Jaskier’s eyes widen with surprise, but they quickly shut again as the kiss deepend. Winding his arms around Geralt and tangling his fingers in soft, white hair, Jaskier broke off and pressed their foreheads together with a breathy laugh. “Some of us need air!” he giggled as Geralt pressed featherlight kisses over his cheeks and nose.

The Witcher hmmed in response, guiding them both to lay on the bed with their legs half-hanging off the edge. Jaskier turned to look at him with a grin so bright that the sun was put to shame, and Geralt felt his heart melt into a puddle. His bard looked gorgeous.

Messy hair fell over cornflower eyes, pupils dilated so only a thin ring of blue showed. His face was covered with a gentle blush that led all the way down his neck and disappeared with the chest hair below his chemise. Light crow’s feet crinkled at the corners of his eyes with his bard’s joyful grin and Geralt absently recalled Jaskier’s newly expanded lifespan.

The White Wolf draped an arm over muscled shoulders, proof of Jaskier’s years spent walking beside him on The Path through thick and thin, and tugged him closer so their noses bumped.

“I love you so much, Jask,” Geralt murmured, pressing a chaste kiss to his bard’s forehead.

“I love you too,” Jaskier whispered back, a contented purr making its way out from deep inside his chest.

From downstairs came the sound of people bustling around in the Great Hall, placing plates and silverware as the venison was being set out. From outside came the sweet noise of birdsong, the howling of icy wind and the promise of more snow that covered the keep in a frozen blanket. From inside the little bubble of Geralt’s room came the sound of whispered confessions and exchanged kisses as the sun shone down on the pair, lying peacefully atop the sheets.

“Two days,” Geralt said, inaudible to anyone but his bard, his lips touching lightly against the shell of the other’s ear. “Two day’s time to prepare and then we’ll ask him.”

“Two days,” Jaskier agreed, his eyes half-lidded as his fingers played a secret tune upon his muse’s chest, touches kept light and tender. “Two more days.”

❧

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I went over this three times and then asked a friend to look it over as well because my aro* self has never even held hands with someone in a romantic setting before. You should have seen how bad it was the first time I wrote it. Yeesh.  
> *I am still figuring things out LOL  
> Here's my [Tumblr](https://thefoxssocks.tumblr.com/) for anyone that wants to check it out :)


	14. A/N

Hey all! A pretty big emergency came up and I haven’t started writing the new chapter yet as a result. I will try to get it out later this week, but if not expect it for sure by this weekend. So sorry for making you all wait, and I hope you have a great week!

**Author's Note:**

> One comment = one kiss for kitten Jaskier :) Would you deny this poor, starving kitten a kiss?? Hope you liked this chapter!


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